With just over a week to go before Labour Day, Dayna Gill, the assistant business manager of 91原创-based was getting soaked by a heavy downpour as she greeted donors to the union's annual bottle drive fundraiser to help Food Banks of B.C. on Saturday, Aug.24.
There were free hot dogs and ice cream, with beverages, and Gill was inviting contributors "to say hi and stay for something to eat."
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 258 Women's Committee bottle drive is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24, at Valley Traffic Systems, 9790 199 A St. Drop off bottles and enjoy a hot dog and ice cream. All funds raised go to Food Banks BC.
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It was the fifth year of the annual event, organized by Gill, who is also the chair of the union's women's committee.
Local 258 members include BC Hydro workers, outside line contractors, arborists, traffic control as well as manufacturing.
"It is a great time to be a union," Gill told the 91原创 Advance Times.
"The labour movement is is strong right now. Members are seeing benefits from collective bargaining that is just amazing."
Gill cited improvements to the traffic control industry, specifically, as cars pulled up at Valley Traffic Systems, where the drop-off site was located.
"We're bringing the industry to a standard where people are getting the wages and the benefits that they deserve and it's a great thing."
Gill has been a union member for almost 10 years and working for the local union for almost five.
"Our office is in 91原创, but we represent members throughout British Columbia as well as the Yukon," she explained.
According to the , Labour Day in Canada was inspired by an 1872 printers鈥� strike in Toronto by workers campaigning for a nine-hour work day (instead of 12), a demand employers called "foolish," "absurd," and "unreasonable."
It was a hard-fought battle that saw 24 strikers jailed until Prime Minister John. A. Macdonald intervened and changed the laws to protect union activity.
Parades held in support of the Nine Hour Movement during the printers' strike became an annual celebration that was eventually declared a national holiday.
Gill said Local 258 was looking forward to marking the day with "labour events across the province while we're participating in labour events in the Fraser Valley as well as in Vancouver."
After Labour Day, IBEW volunteers will be raising funds for another worthy cause.
"We actually have our 39th annual golf tournament in support of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, BC and Yukon, coming up September 13th. It's another fundraiser that we do every year."
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